After bars and restaurants close at 8 p.m. in areas where there is a coronavirus state of emergency, many people are buying alcohol at convenience stores and from vending machines and then hang out in parks or public spaces near train stations to continue drinking, thus leading to more possible virus infections. Do you think the police should disperse such groups?

No, unless the park has a posted time of closing and people there afterwards. Police here do not need to go full on Gestapo like cops in the US, Canada, Europe, UK, Oz, and NZ over the Wuhan Flu.

Do you think the police should disperse such groups?

It really shouldn’t need to come to that if the government was doing its job properly.

The actions and messaging coming from the government is nowhere near strong enough to change behaviour. As a result many people see absolutely no problem with continuing to socialise. It’s not illegal to do so, so there’s no need for the police to disperse anyone.

A consequence of this however is more people will get sick, and the virus will continue to spread.

What is the point? They will all be crammed into packed trains the next morning where a greater danger of infection exists.

People who will hang out will find ways unless they make it an offence it will unlikely make any difference.

I doubt sitting in an park and open spaces will increase the chances of spreading the virus. Your premise is misleading.

Being outdoors do not mean being completely free of risks, it is obviously better for people to be taking around outside than indoors, but being in close proximity in large groups while talking in loud voices and consuming food or drinks can elevate the risks to significative levels.

Still, not worthy to divert resources in policing but better to invest them in educating people to have fun wile taking basic precautions.

As long as we are expected to swarm onto packed trains every morning, sit in offices all day with oyajis using thei masks as chin-warmers, then swarm back onto packed trains to go home again at the end of the day, then the Fun Police can keep their beaks out of my weekend, sunshine, socially-distant park beers.

The virus doesn't magically become more virulent if you're enjoying yourself for a change.

Do you think the police should disperse such groups?

I think a more interesting question would be "would the Australian or NZ police have dispersed such groups and is that why they are now out of lockdown and Japan isn't?"

The vast majority of successful people in the world are those who have learnt from other people's successes. Just copy what works.

Reminds me of my other countries where the youth (and sometimes not so youthful) would be hanging around. There was always the chance you'd be unfortunate enough to warrant their attention and the results could often be unpleasant or intimidating.

Obviously, the majority of the lads were just posturing/showing off, but it's a testosterone thing.

This is different, and could lead to an increase in spreading the virus. Be sensible and head home.

Police here do not need to go full on Gestapo like cops in the US, Canada, Europe, UK, Oz, and NZ over the Wuhan Flu.

Whatever that is.

Why would you tell people who have just been sitting together indoors drinking, that they can not sit together outdoors drinking? One is very likely a much lower transmission risk than the other.

It's not illegal to be outside and there's no curfew. So no, I don't think police should disperse people. And like ADK99 said above, those people were already together at the same table while indoors. No point telling them to go home.

Sitting tightly packed on the train and in the office is more likely to spread the virus than having a drink outside with the spring breeze blowing fresh air around, c'mon now think about !

The police should disperse those morons in the damn govt AND MOVE THEM ALONG.

Yes, disperse the groups, but only after you also disperse commuting groups, shopping groups, project teams working in groups , conferencing groups...You see it yourself, don’t you? It doesn’t play a role if you let them do their public drinking parties or not. Btw, Not to forget the police itself has then to disperse its own teams , in Koban or Head quarters, forming groups there....lol

Yes, by all means please have them do so and make them take their trash home as well.

It would appear to help, but I think dispersing them really won't really help since, as the other posters said, people would still take the crowded trains and walk through congested streets to get home. Now, it's either the government steps up its anti-pandemic measures and improve contact tracing while still allowing the population to live normally, or just go full-on authoritarian dystopia with curfews, mass gatherings of a certain number, and public consumption of alcohol, etc. is banned.

Maybe getting on packed trains and buses should be illegal;riskier than a drink in a park eh?

Derek Grebe...

The virus doesn't magically become more virulent if you're enjoying yourself for a change.

No it doesn't but if you are talking in a loud voice( which people do after drinks) you ARE much more likely to share viruses, especially with food.

That is why they target restaurants and alcohol establishments.

Sad I know! :(

The police dispersing these groups will just make things worse, they will just do the same thing indoors.

No. But make sure they pick up the trash as most people here toss stuff on the ground or out of car windows and do not give a hoot.

I think the question is irrelevant. The Japanese government needs to get off their rear ends and actually DO some work for a change. Corona can be handled. Police dispersing groups of drinkers in parks is NOT going to handle the problem.

Given the relatively low infections numbers and death toll from COVID, and the fact the risk that infection will spread outdoors is so much lower, it would be excessive to break up such groups.

Yes and jail and fine these people too.

If they are being loud, and littering sure you can call the cops on them yourself. But the cops should not be patrolling for it, unless it's a nuisance to others who live nearby. If they are not being a nuisance, no harm, no foul. Much better than drinking inside.

If you file a complaint with the cops, they usually follow up on it.

What is the point? They will all be crammed into packed trains the next morning where a greater danger of infection exists.

exactly! implementing policies that encourage and aid working from home and getting schools closed with online learning implemented would go a LONG way to curbing the spread.

No, Japan is still a free country, police can go back hiding into corner streets waiting for drivers

No, not unless it was part of a real lockdown that had an actual chance of getting the virus under control.

Japan could beat this thing and find itself on equal ground with Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand if the government could just get its act together. Impose a real lockdown and make PCR testing and quarantine requirements the same for everyone who enters or reenters the country, whether Japanese or foreign. Yes, life will suck under lockdown for three weeks. Just like ripping a bandage off, the point is to get it over with quickly. There is no vaccination program to speak of at the moment so this is Japan's only option unless it wants to endure a 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th wave.

Forcing everyone to report for work and pack themselves into crowded trains as usual, but penalizing them for a little low-risk socializing outdoors, when there's no end in sight to the pandemic in this country, is cruel.

Agree, first off they need to massively increase testing to get a handle on what the real situation is, then if warranted by real evidence institute a legally binding lock down and require work from home, close all bars, shops, restaurants (even the ones the government elite go to) and other areas of mass congregation and once they have bought some time by these measures, extract a finger and rapidly expand the vaccination programme.

So that’s never going to happen.

In a study of over 230,000 COVID cases, researchers found fewer than 300 that might possibly have been spread outdoors. Virtually all the cases were confirmed indoor transmission. In reality, people are likely at higher risk walking into a convenience store, even with a mask on, then they are drinking or eating outdoors. The outdoor transmission rate is exceedingly low. These people are being safe.